I really like my friend's Garrard 301 / SME312s / ATC SCA2 / Krell FPB-300 / bi-amped B&W Nautilus 801 system that represents something of an ideal for me in terms of detail, resolution and entertainment value. The h0rns Universum 3 mentioned earlier that I heard in Harrogate were exquisite. Perfect to all intents and purposes - beautiful like a piece of modern art and the music just appeared magically in the room. Yet the Tannoy Legacy Cheviots upstairs (with the £39k MSB power amps) had them pasted from an engagement and entertainment point-of-view (they've really lit a fire under me!). These I could live with.
Incidentally the big B&O actives at Harrogate were woeful - although effective in a blunt instrument kind of way with Star Wars, they were flat and grey and a bit chesty with music. Very disappointing.
Yet with all these experiences, I come home and breathe a sigh of relief as my system just sounds so bloody right to my ears. Natural and easy going, with a kind of crystalline purity (especially with digital sources) that rivals the h0rns, lots of entertainment, unfatiguing in long listening sessions. My 804s retain enough of the 801's qualities to scratch that particular itch too (even if they don't shift air in quite the same way!). My system does things that (again for me) none of these other systems do.
So I suppose it's about finding your personal audio nirvana. Recent experiences have given me an upgrade path / roadmap that involves separating the AV and stereo sides within the same system. I don't really think this is necessary, but I think it's probably the best way of moving things on without actually trading up in the AV amp stakes - which I'm not sure would achieve much. (Rambling - I'll stop now.)
Technics SL1210 MkII / SME 309 / Timestep PSU / Achromat / Denon DL-304
Phono stage PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter
Lossless / MP3 / Tidal > Roon > Bryston BDP-1USB > Marantz NA-11S1
Marantz UD7007 SACD/Blu-ray/DVD-V/DVD-A
Toshiba BDX1200 Blu-ray player (Zone A & Region 1)
Audiolab 8200AP pre-amp/processor
Power amp: Arcam P7
B&W 804S stereo (bi-amped), HTM4S centre, CDMSNT surrounds (5.0)
Sennheiser HD 700 headphones
Panasonic PT-AT6000 projector